Exercise Theory

Guess what? Not everyone involved in helping people achieve their exercise-related goals agrees on everything to do with fitness and exercise. Big surprise, right?

In fact, there are many areas of disagreement regarding exercise theory.

In these articles, I hope to cut through all the chatter and give you a solid base of knowledge you can use as the foundation for your own, long-term learning process. I define basic concepts that are of interest to weight-lifters and others who use a resistance-training program to add muscle mass. And I hope that when you’re done reading these articles, you’ll be able to distinguish between what’s really important, and what’s just being hyped up to get you to buy gear that you really don’t need.

Abdominal core training

Abdominal Exercises – Training The Abs And Core

For effective abdominal/core training, learn which muscle groups are important, then learn how to work them effectively and safely.

Thumbnail image for Can you bulk your biceps using compound exercises?

Can you bulk your biceps using compound exercises?

You can get a good arm workout using compound exercises, so don’t be afraid to do away with the biceps curls and triceps kickbacks while you bulk up with compound movements.

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Sports Motivation: How To Get Going When The Going Gets Tough

Sports motivation means getting yourself psyched up — and keeping yourself psyched up — so you can perform at the limits of your capabilities. Without it, you won’t succeed, so use these tips to learn how to be your best.

Thumbnail image for Proper breathing during exercise and weight lifting

Proper breathing during exercise and weight lifting

There is no general concensus about how to breathe during exercise, but there are several important facts which you should be aware of so you can make an informed decision.

Chinning Bars: Back, Biceps, and Beyond

Pull-ups are an important part of any fitness or strength training routine. Learn about equipment, technique, and viable alternatives to a pull-up workout.

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Exercise Recovery Techniques

Intense exercise can put you out of commission for days. With these post-workout strategies, you can reduce your recovery time and increase the efficiency of your workout regimen.

Shoulder Flexibility for Weight Lifting

Shoulder flexibility is important for weight lifters. Inflexible shoulders limit the amount of weight you can put overhead. Learn how to stretch your shoulders.

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Overtraining

Overtraining is a little-understood phenomenon. Does it really exist or is it a myth? What are the symptoms of overtraining? What can you do to avoid it?

Thumbnail image for Six Fundamentals of Fitness Training

Six Fundamentals of Fitness Training

General fitness comprises many aspects of physical development, but six fundamental areas of physical fitness are common to all good fitness programs.

Time Under Tension

Charles Poliquin, an influential Canadian strength coach, coined the term “time under tension” in his eponymously-titled book The Poliquin Principles. What does it mean and is it of importance for skinny guys who want to increase their muscle mass?

Use the FITT Principle to Prepare for Weight Lifting

The FITT Principle — Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Technique — is a simple paradigm you can use to design a get-in-shape routine. Use FITT to get fit before an intense bulking routine.

Hypertrophy

Muscular hypertrophy — when a muscle gets larger — occurs by several different mechanisms. In this article, learn what these mechanism are and how we can trigger them.